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Full vulnerability report · 2020
CVE-2020-8468High confidence

Trend Micro Multiple Products Content Validation Escape Vulnerability

Trend Micro · Apex One, OfficeScan and Worry-Free Business Security Agents

8.8HighCVSS 3.1
Recommended action
Patch now

CISA confirms exploitation in the wild and lists 2022-05-03 as the remediation due date.

Patch available
R
Operational reassessment

Published severity in operational context

Open reassessment dashboard →
Published severityHighOperational priority:Critical, raised one band.upgradedsince 3 Nov 2021

Evidence used

  • CISA confirms exploitation in the wild.
  • EPSS is 6.17% for the current model date.

Compensating controls

  • Validate the affected product branch and deploy the verified fixed release.
  • Restrict the affected network interface to trusted sources where business-safe.
  • Increase monitoring for the attack path and post-exploitation behaviour described in the report.

Verification

  1. Confirm that the asset runs Trend Micro Apex One, OfficeScan and Worry-Free Business Security Agents and falls inside the recorded affected range.
  2. Verify the installed build against the product-specific fixed version after deployment.
  3. Validate exposure, authentication requirements and compensating controls in the actual environment.
  4. Reopen this reassessment when CVSS, KEV, EPSS, exploit evidence or remediation changes.
Mitigation target: Within 3 daysRemediation target: Within 90 days

This automated reassessment organises public evidence. It does not know asset exposure, business impact or control effectiveness and does not replace CVSS or a human risk decision.

Optional official sources

National CERT insights
?CERT means Computer Emergency Response Team; CSIRT is the closely related term Computer Security Incident Response Team.

Choose official national sources for this report. Each advisory shows its original language. Your selection is remembered on this device and included in shared links.

Official European source

ENISA European Vulnerability Database

Official EUVD identifiers, advisory evidence and known-exploited context. Missing fields are not treated as evidence of low risk.

1 current
ENISA EUVD identifier

EUVD-2020-29334

CISA KEV mirrored by ENISA

Trend Micro Apex One (2019), OfficeScan XG and Worry-Free Business Security (9.0, 9.5, 10.0) agents are affected by a content validation escape vulnerability which could allow an attacker to manipulate certain agent client components. An attempted attack requires user authentication.

EUVD state
Present in the current official mapping
Known exploitation
Recorded by ENISA since 3 Nov 2021. Evidence sources: cisa_kev.
ENISA score
8.8 · CVSS 3.1
Advisory evidence
No linked advisory details stored yet
Recommended actionPatch now

CISA confirms exploitation in the wild and lists 2022-05-03 as the remediation due date.

Patch available
01

What, why and how

Trend Micro Apex One, OfficeScan, and Worry-Free Business Security agents contain a content validation escape vulnerability that could allow an attacker to manipulate certain agent client components.

What

Trend Micro Apex One, OfficeScan, and Worry-Free Business Security agents contain a content validation escape vulnerability that could allow an attacker to manipulate certain agent client components.

Why

The product constructs all or part of a command, data structure, or record using externally-influenced input from an upstream component, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes special elements that could modify how it is parsed or interpreted when it is sent to a downstream component.

How

An attacker operating through a network path may attempt exploitation with low privileges. If successful, the issue may cause the confidentiality, integrity or availability impact described by the vendor.

What

Trend Micro Apex One, OfficeScan, and Worry-Free Business Security agents contain a content validation escape vulnerability that could allow an attacker to manipulate certain agent client components.

Why

The product constructs all or part of a command, data structure, or record using externally-influenced input from an upstream component, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes special elements that could modify how it is parsed or interpreted when it is sent to a downstream component.

How

An attacker operating through a network path may attempt exploitation with low privileges. If successful, the issue may cause the confidentiality, integrity or availability impact described by the vendor.

02

Exploit reality and attack path

CVSS severity, EPSS forecast probability, public exploit material and CISA-confirmed exploitation are separate signals.

Observed exploitation
?Confirmed exploitation and public exploit material are separate signals. Attacks can occur without public proof-of-concept or exploit code.
Confirmed in the wild

CISA added this CVE to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalogue on 2021-11-03.

Public PoC / exploit material
?Confirmed exploitation and public exploit material are separate signals. Attacks can occur without public proof-of-concept or exploit code.
None recorded

No exploit-tagged reference or CISA SSVC proof-of-concept state is currently recorded. Research may still exist outside the structured feeds.

Likely attack path
a network path → Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component ('Injection') → cause the confidentiality, integrity or availability impact described by the vendor
Attack surface
Network
Privileges required
Low: a basic authenticated account is required
User interaction
None
Attack complexity
Low: no specialised conditions are recorded
Security boundary
Unchanged: impact remains within the vulnerable component's security authority
Weakness
?CWE means Common Weakness Enumeration: a standard category for the underlying weakness.
CWE-74 ↗

CWE-74: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component ('Injection'). The product constructs all or part of a command, data structure, or record using externally-influenced input from an upstream component, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes special elements that could modify how it is parsed or interpreted when it is sent to a downstream component.

CVSS vector
?CVSS means Common Vulnerability Scoring System. The vector records the metric values used to calculate technical severity.
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Common Vulnerability Scoring System 3.1: the compact vector below is decoded into plain language.

AVNetworkAttack vector: The vulnerable component can be reached over a network.ACLowAttack complexity: No specialised conditions are required beyond attacker-controlled input.PRLowPrivileges required: The attacker needs basic user-level privileges.UINoneUser interaction: No action by another user is required.SUnchangedScope: The security impact remains within the vulnerable component's authority.CHighConfidentiality impact: A successful attack can cause a major loss.IHighIntegrity impact: A successful attack can cause a major loss.AHighAvailability impact: A successful attack can cause a major loss.
Post-exploitation / living off the land
No specific living-off-the-land technique is confirmed in the structured sources. Monitor normal administration tools for activity inconsistent with the affected service's baseline.
NetworkCWE-74CISA KEV
A

Official authority intelligence

Only matched European and national findings are included. Language selectors and unavailable sources are omitted.

ENISA EUVD · EUVD-2020-29334Known-exploited evidence recorded

Trend Micro Apex One (2019), OfficeScan XG and Worry-Free Business Security (9.0, 9.5, 10.0) agents are affected by a content validation escape vulnerability which could allow an attacker to manipulate certain agent client components. An attempted attack requires user authentication.

Official EUVD record ↗
Canadian Centre for Cyber Security · English · AL20-009Active exploitation of Trend Micro vulnerabilities

On 16 March 2020 Trend Micro disclosed several vulnerabilities in the Trend Micro Apex One and OfficeScan XG products.  These vulnerabilities could allow a remote actor to execute arbitrary code, manipulate agent client components, write and delete files using SYSTEM privileges and bypass root authentication.  Details of the vulnerabilities are as follows: - CVE-2020-8467: A migration tool component of Trend Micro Apex One and OfficeScan contains a vulnerability which could allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected installations (RCE). An attempted attack requires user authentication. - CVE-2020-8468: Trend Micro Apex One and OfficeScan agents are affected by a content validation escape vulnerability which could allow an attacker to manipulate certain agent client components. An attempted attack requires user authentication. - CVE-2020-8470: Trend Micro Apex One and OfficeScan server contains a vulnerable service DLL file that could allow an attacker to delete any file on the server with SYSTEM level privileges. Authentication is not required to exploit this vulnerability. - CVE-2020-8598: Trend Micro Apex One and OfficeScan server contains a vulnerable service DLL file that could allow a remote attacker to execute arbitrary code on affected installations with SYSTEM level privileges. Authentication is not required to exploit this vulnerability. - CVE-2020-8599: Trend Micro Apex One and OfficeScan server contain a vulnerable EXE file that could allow a remote attacker to write arbitrary data to an arbitrary path on affected installations and bypass ROOT login. Authentication is not required to exploit this vulnerability. While active exploitation has been reported against CVE-2020-8467 and CVE-2020-8468, the remaining three vulnerabilities also warrant urgent action as they do not require authentication to exploit.

Official advisory ↗
Cyber Security Agency of Singapore · English · CSA-SB-20200325Security Bulletin 25 Mar 2020

The Cyber Security Agency of Singapore included this CVE in its official Security Bulletin 25 Mar 2020, published on 25 March 2020. Open the linked bulletin for the product, severity and reference information published in that issue.

Official advisory ↗
JVN iPedia · Japanese · JVNDB-2020-003062複数の Trend Micro 製品におけるダウンロードしたコードの完全性検証不備に関する脆弱性

Trend Micro Apex One、OfficeScan、Worry-Free Business Security エージェントには、ダウンロードしたコードの完全性検証不備に関する脆弱性が存在します。

Official advisory ↗
03

Patch and workaround

Operational remediation based on structured source evidence.

Status
?Patch availability is based on structured fixed-version fields and authoritative update references. If no fix is verified, check the vendor advisory before making a change.
Patch available
Affected
Trend Micro OfficeScan, Trend Micro Apex One, Trend Micro Worry-Free Business Security (WFBS): OfficeScan XG (12.0), Apex One 2019 (14.0), WFBS 9.0, 9.5 and 10.0
Fixed
An authoritative update reference is available, but the fixed version is not recorded in the structured CVE fields. Check the linked vendor advisory for the applicable release.
Action
Review the linked authoritative reference and apply the recorded fixed release appropriate to the affected product branch.
Workaround
No verified workaround is recorded. If business-safe, reduce exposure to the affected interface and allow only trusted sources until authoritative guidance is available.
04

Evidence and provenance

Published 18 Mar 2020 · Last source change 21 Oct 2025, 23:35 UTC · CWE-74 · Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component ('Injection')

CVE recordCVE.org · 5.1
CVSS sourceNIST NVD
EPSS source
?The date BlackTree first stored a score for this CVE from the daily FIRST EPSS feed.
FIRST · tracked since 2026-08-14
European sourceENISA EUVD · EUVD-2020-29334
Product sourceCISA KEV
Remediation sourceCVE/CNA references
CWE sourceCISA ADP
NVD statusNVD enriched

Core structured fields are present and their contributing authorities are shown above.

Material change intelligence

What changed after publication

View recent updates ↗
  1. Affected versionsThe structured affected or fixed version information changed.
    Before
    OfficeScan XG (12.0), Apex One 2019 (14.0), WFBS 9.0, 9.5 and 10.0 · Fixed: An authoritative update reference is available, but the fixed version is not recorded in the structured CVE fields. Check the linked vendor advisory for the applicable release.
    After
    Trend Micro OfficeScan, Trend Micro Apex One, Trend Micro Worry-Free Business Security (WFBS): OfficeScan XG (12.0), Apex One 2019 (14.0), WFBS 9.0, 9.5 and 10.0 · Fixed: An authoritative update reference is available, but the fixed version is not recorded in the structured CVE fields. Check the linked vendor advisory for the applicable release.
    CNA ↗
Material fields only · duplicate refreshes suppressed · history retained for the configured operational retention period
CVE published
Added to CISA KEV
Fixed release or patch reference recorded
ENISA EUVD · EUVD-2020-29334↗CISA KEV record↗CVE authority or vendor reference↗Patch or update reference↗Patch or update reference↗Patch or update reference↗Official CVE record (CNA and ADP data)↗NVD record↗
Technical terms and abbreviations used in this report
CVE
Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures: the public identifier for one disclosed vulnerability.
CVSS
Common Vulnerability Scoring System: a technical severity framework; it is not patching priority by itself.
EPSS
Exploit Prediction Scoring System: FIRST's estimate of the probability that exploitation activity will be observed in the next 30 days; it is a forecast, not confirmation.
CWE
Common Weakness Enumeration: the standard category describing the underlying software or hardware weakness.
CNA
CVE Numbering Authority: an organisation authorised to assign and publish CVE records.
CISA ADP
Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Authorized Data Publisher: structured enrichment added to a CVE record.
NVD
National Vulnerability Database: NIST's enrichment service for CVE records.
CERT / CSIRT
A computer security incident response team that publishes warnings or coordinates incident response.
PoC
Proof of concept: public material that demonstrates or helps reproduce exploitation.
CSAF
Common Security Advisory Framework: a machine-readable format for security advisories.
LoTL
Living off the land: abuse of legitimate tools or system functions during an attack.
Free version - for non-commercial use only.CVE-2020-8468 · cve.blacktree.nl